feelsnotbrains's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this series thinking that I wasn't going to enjoy it. I love Brite's horror work so much and, as someone whose bookshelf comprises mainly of fantasy, sci-fi and the like, I'm generally uninterested in "normal" plots in books. That being said, I can not and will never get enough of Rickey and G-Man. I mean, Liquor was phenomenal - striking the perfect balance of companionship and romance - and Prime does the same, all the while with obstacles, dramatics and the always-glorious artistry that is Poppy Z. Brite prose. I would write more, but I want to go buy Soul Kitchen right now.
essjay's review
3.75
I liked this more than the second book, but the first is still my favourite. I do really love reading about Rickey and Gary's relationship.
rbriese7's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
memnoch's review against another edition
4.0
Another great entry in the Ricky and G-Man saga. It can be horror or a drama about two chefs and Poppy never fails to write a great story.
childofmongreldogs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
2.5
I read this book (and the series) something like 4 years ago. I really enjoyed the first in the series but I think that this one, at the time, was a worse read for me. I think I really see what old me saw then. The first half of this book is good. Rickey and G-Man are dealing with insecurity over their restaurant and having some tiffs between themselves because of Rickey's attitude. It feels real and interesting, for the most part. Really just good character drama with a backdrop of legal scandal.
The second half is where it starts getting weird. I liked the parts with Cooper Stark. Once again, character drama. An old flame stirs up shit but the heroes stay together and faithful to each other. It's not crazy or ground breaking. I think this is how Mr. Brite's older works kind of worm into this slice of life, cooking comfort read and make it... weird. The second half begins the weird thriller/suspense novel where Rickey ends up trying to solve a murder mystery. But it doesn't have nearly the interest of a murder mystery and it's solved at the end by no one. The evil-doer explains what he did with little cost to our heroes.
What a very strange and eclectic way to write this kind of story. It feels like Brite couldn't decide what kind of story he wanted to write at the time. Or maybe, he did but it just wasn't cohesive enough for me. Either way, I enjoyed this work since it checks a lot of squares for me. I love having LGBT characters. Love character drama. Love gritty and dark. Love cooking. Just not sure how I like them all together. I feel like it worked so much better in the first book in this series. I recall the next in this series also worked a lot better (though I could be misremembering).
The second half is where it starts getting weird. I liked the parts with Cooper Stark. Once again, character drama. An old flame stirs up shit but the heroes stay together and faithful to each other. It's not crazy or ground breaking. I think this is how Mr. Brite's older works kind of worm into this slice of life, cooking comfort read and make it... weird. The second half begins the weird thriller/suspense novel where Rickey ends up trying to solve a murder mystery. But it doesn't have nearly the interest of a murder mystery and it's solved at the end by no one. The evil-doer explains what he did with little cost to our heroes.
What a very strange and eclectic way to write this kind of story. It feels like Brite couldn't decide what kind of story he wanted to write at the time. Or maybe, he did but it just wasn't cohesive enough for me. Either way, I enjoyed this work since it checks a lot of squares for me. I love having LGBT characters. Love character drama. Love gritty and dark. Love cooking. Just not sure how I like them all together. I feel like it worked so much better in the first book in this series. I recall the next in this series also worked a lot better (though I could be misremembering).
jpbldn's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this series thinking that I wasn't going to enjoy it. I love Brite's horror work so much and, as someone whose bookshelf comprises mainly of fantasy, sci-fi and the like, I'm generally uninterested in "normal" plots in books. That being said, I can not and will never get enough of Rickey and G-Man. I mean, Liquor was phenomenal - striking the perfect balance of companionship and romance - and Prime does the same, all the while with obstacles, dramatics and the always-glorious artistry that is Poppy Z. Brite prose. I would write more, but I want to go buy Soul Kitchen right now.
gmelrose's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
mavenbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Good, with some parts that were a bit annoying. I felt like the inclusion of any women was rather noticeable, and the email/online chat references were tacky. All right otherwise though and I might read the next book when it comes out.
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Prime is the second novel in Brite's New Orleans kitchen/food/restaurant universe. It's two years after the opening of Liquor. G-Man and Rickey are doing okay but Rickey wants to fly on its own and not be in debt still with Lenny. Taking a consulting job that will bring much needed cash, Rickey meets an old friend and tries to juggle ethics, pride, revenge and political mayhem. A solid story, Rickey and G-Man are still interesting and one of the most stable couple that can still make me go .. oh.. adorable in a non cutesy way.